Last year, Dickinson College students took over the president’s office for three days to protest what they said were lax policies on handling campus sexual assaults. They said their protests stemmed largely from the unsatisfactory handling of a former, male student accused of raping several female students several years earlier.

Thursday night, Dickinson hosted the panel talk, “Being a Good Samaritan: Lessons of Penn State.” Dickinson professors and Cumberland County district attorney Dave Freed debated the moral and legal obligations of witnesses to crimes.

View full sizeDan Gleiter, The Patriot-News/2008The Dickinson College campus in Carlisle.

Dickinson history professor Regina Sweeney said witness duties came up during an internal, 14-month review of Dickinson policies on sexual assault. Students on the review committee thought bystanders who fail to stop an attack should be disciplined.

Sweeney said the greatest problem in dealing with college sexual assault cases is that victims rarely report their attackers. Their reluctance can be understood, she said, by examining reactions to allegations that former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused eight boys over a decade.

“The initial response [by many] was to question the motives of [Sandusky’s] victims. ... You can see that as problematic in how to deal with victims,” Sweeney said.

Freed said the reporting of crimes against children has improved over the years. But he said that in many cases he’s prosecuted, “If someone had stepped up, abuse would have stopped.”

Featured Story

Get 'Today's Front Page' in your inbox

This newsletter is sent every morning at 6 a.m. and includes the morning's top stories, a full list of obituaries, links to comics and puzzles and the most recent news, sports and entertainment headlines.

optionalCheck here if you do not want to receive additional email offers and information.See our privacy policy

Thank you for signing up for 'Today's Front Page'

To view and subscribe to any of our other newsletters, please click here.